30 hours free childcare – Extended Entitlement for Working Parents

3-4 year old 30 hours

The government is aiming to make childcare more affordable for working parents. They will do this by increasing free early education from 15 up to 30 hours per week for 38 weeks of the year for some 3 and 4 year old children.

Wigan is a pilot area for 30 hours free childcare and initially offered 415 places for eligible families from September 2016 within certain areas of Wigan and Hindley.

Wigan’s early implementation programme has progressed well since September 2016. You can view the feedback (external link) received from parents accessing 30 hours free childcare in Wigan.

As of January 2017, Wigan has been allocated a further 150 x 15 hours places. The programme has been expanded to include settings within a 1.6 mile radius around Westleigh Start Well Centre. Check whether individual childcare providers have any places available on the Family information service:

Leigh Westleigh Methodist Primary School

Ambrose Day Nursery

Appy Little Plums

Honey Bears Day Care

Kate’s Kindergarten

Newton Westpark Nursery

Squirrels Day Nursery

Twist Lane Nursery

Bluestone Day Nursery

Leigh Central Community Pre-School

The Avenue Private Day Nursery

ABC Castle Nursery Leigh

Beech Hill Community Primary (Nursery)

Brooklands Childcare - First Avenue

Brooklands Childcare - Market Street

Busy Bees - Marylebone

Busy Bees - Scholes

Canon Sharples Nursery CE Primary School

Club 3:15 - Canon Sharples CE Primary School

Douglas Valley Nursery School and Out Of School Club

Heron Day Nursery and Out Of School Club

Hindley All Saints' CE Primary School

Hindley Green Community Primary School

Hindley Nursery School

Ince CE Primary School

Kids.Com

Little Acorns Nursery and Out Of School Club

New Lodge Pre-School

Hindley All Saints Kidz Club Ltd (Out Of School Club)

Parsons Walk Nursery

Play Pals Out Of School Club (North West) Hindley Green CP School

Play Pals Out Of School Club (North West) St Peters C of E Primary

Rosebridge Private Day Nursery

Sacred Heart RC Primary, Springfield

St Patrick's Catholic Primary (Nursery) and Out Of School Club

St Williams Catholic Primary (Nursery)

The Wendy House Nursery Ltd

Whitley Pre-School

Childminder: Mary Ashton

Childminder: Sandra Bielecki

Childminder: Vicky Hampson

Childminder: Kate Hill

Childminder: Rebecca Middlehurst

Childminder: Wendy Nelson

Childminder: Joanne Pownall

Childminder: Judith Richardson

The focus of Wigan’s trial will include the following:

The development of early years clusters which will bring together early years providers to work in partnership and develop childcare packages designed to offer parents more flexibility in how they use their entitlement.

Offer support to long term unemployed who had citied childcare expense as a barrier to returning to work.

The Department for Education has also asked the council to focus on the inclusion of children with special educational needs and disability in the pilot.

Share learning and good practice on a local and national level to support a smooth transition into full roll out from September 2017.

Parents can access information relating to tax free childcare which is being introduced later this year and eligibility checking for the 30 hours on GOV.UK website (external link).